Author
Topic: Dutch ovens, your recomendation (Read 4176 times)

boulderbrewer

Weaz had dutch oven question but what are your experiences with these things. You can blow nearly 300 bills on these. What do you have and how do they work? Cast iron or enameled cast iron. How about heat can they take an egg?

Back in the days when people cooked over open fires, dutch ovens were highly prized and handed down as heirlooms.

We cook in a dutch oven a lot on Scouting campouts. We surround/bury them in hot coals, so an egg is no problem. It's pretty amazing what all you can cook in one.

Euge is right, you don't need to drop three bills on a dutch oven. Good ones can be had for much less. IMHO cast iron ones are great. There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to season/clean/cook with a cast iron dutch oven.

« Last Edit: February 28, 2011, 07:57:33 AM by punatic »

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There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.

We're gonna pick one up soonish as well - we have a fire pit that I'd like to try to cook on. You can get inexpensive kits that include a tripod that you hang the dutch oven on, so it's suspended over a fire. Dunno about the price. I've seen them at the local garden shop for 50 euros. Cast iron's the way to go, IMHO.

I picked up a Cuisinart porcelain enameled cast iron 7 qt for $60 at Marshall's about two months ago and really like it. Places like that are hit and miss but you can sometimes get good deals. I hear Costco has a reasonably priced one as well but I haven't been able to find it.

I had my eye on the Le Creuset as well but just couldn't bring myself to part with that much coin.

I picked up a Cuisinart porcelain enameled cast iron 7 qt for $60 at Marshall's about two months ago and really like it. Places like that are hit and miss but you can sometimes get good deals. I hear Costco has a reasonably priced one as well but I haven't been able to find it.

I had my eye on the Le Creuset as well but just couldn't bring myself to part with that much coin.

Problem is, I don't think you can use the enameled ones over open flame, which in my mind kinda defeats the purpose.

I have a le-creuset and it is nice, small oval enameled one, I would not have purchased it but it was a wedding gift. I also have an old one I found at a rummage sale for 2 bucks or so. It doesn't have a lid but... For cast iron, if I can't find it at a garage sale or similar I love lodge. They even have a range of preseasoned options that are good. not too expensive either, and made in the USA.

We've got a med/large Le Crueset that we got as a wedding gift, and I have a cast iron one that my father in law was getting rid of. I want to try cooking in a campfire at some point, but I haven't researched it at all to figure out how. I'll have to check out youtube this summer.